Help Raynna Heal and Thrive Again

(Please note that Amy Barker is shown as the beneficiary on this because her name is on this account to allow for her to assist James and Raynna with the accounting involved)

Writing this as her mother-in-law and looking back, it's incredible to realize that it has been two years since Raynna started experiencing the symptoms that would eventually be diagnosed as stage 4 cervical cancer. She has suffered the ravages of cancer, chemotherapy and radiation in ways too lengthy and horrible to list. My son James has sacrificed his life for her, shouldering the burden of her caretaking while barely asking for help, the emotional and spiritual toll increasing with each passing month. And yet, I am amazed by their perseverance and positive attitude, pressing through hurdle after hurdle like champions. Every day brings new challenges - sometimes good, but far too often not. Every step up the mountain that promised progress or a turning point soon revealed itself to have been a false hope that set them back to a new bottom. Holding their breath on the good days, trying to hold on through the rough days — a roller coaster they never could have imagined.

In July of 2024, after half a year of chemo and radiation treatments, Raynna was officially declared in remission. Unfortunately, even with the cancer gone, she continued to suffer from the damage the radiation had caused. For the next year, she continued to struggle with constant pain, barely able to sit or sleep, let alone function in any of the normal ways we take for granted.

In May of 2025, not even a year later, exams revealed that her cancer had returned: a chemo-resistant tumor had formed near her pelvic bone. Removal by surgery was the only option, and due to fistulas connecting her lower organs, everything would need to be removed: her uterus, vagina, rectum, and bladder. A urostomy would be placed (in place of two nephrostomy tubes), and the colostomy placed earlier that year (because of a new fistula due to radiation damage), that was supposed to be temporary, would now be permanent. On June 18, Raynna underwent pelvic exenteration surgery lasting fourteen hours involving three surgeons; it was deemed successful.

But as she removed the tumor, the doctor found scarred tissue in the surrounding area that looked suspicious. Biopsies revealed that cancer cells still remained. So many hopes and prayers were dashed in that devastating news. “Minuscule,” her doctor characterized the cancer. Hopefully treatable by immunotherapy – a form of chemotherapy that hypercharges her immune system into fighting off the cancer itself.

On July 22, Raynna began infusions of immunotherapy (Keytruda), to continue for 2-3 years. We are asking for your prayers that the immunotherapy “holds at bay” the cancer or even “eradicates” it — quoting the doctor’s words. Possible side effects of immunotherapy can be as small as rashes and inflammation of various organs to more life-threatening reactions that can occur anywhere from a few days after each treatment to a few months after treatment ends. Praying for little to no side effects, and that cancer will no longer have its way in her body.

On the more positive side, Raynna’s recovery from surgery has been remarkable: the predicted three-week hospital stay following surgery was reduced to ten days. Healing has been steady and good. Her medications, and perhaps the removal of afflicting organs, have significantly lessened her pain and nausea for the first time in over two years. If things continue at this rate, after a few more months of healing, she may actually be able to return to living a relatively normal life!

As Raynna continues to wait for disability approval (over a year of waiting now), and as James continues to forgo work to care for her, they critically need donations. Raynna and James were helped so much by your generosity in the past. With another boost, they are hoping Raynna will heal well enough to live a full and functioning life, even with her new adaptations and challenges. She honestly loves to work. If she heals enough to work again, that would be amazing!

You can give through this GoFundMe link, either listing your name or giving anonymously. When you enter an amount, you can change the tip amount to zero if you wish. If you prefer, you can send money via check or a bank transfer via Zelle. You can email me at amylebarker at gmail.com if you prefer one of these options, and I can provide their information.

Thank you for caring, for your prayers and support over this long haul, and for giving. Just as suffering shapes and forms us in deeper ways, so does generous, kind love.

With gratitude,

Amy Barker